Auxiliary headlight system



sept 9, 1947. B. TABACCHI 2,427,076

AUXILIARY HEADLIGHT SYSTEM Filed Jan. 18, 1947 ATM. usr

PARKING I A u GHTs A nmlitor En rwzo YZzacc/zz' Patented Sept. 9, 1947 -YUNITED STATES PATENToFFicE AUXILIARY HEADLIGHT SYSTEM Bruno Tabacchi, Cadiz, Ohio Application January 18, 1947, Serial No. '722,909

4 Claims.

The invention relates generally to electrical lighting systems for automobiles and more particularly to an improved system for automatically energizing auxiliary headlights when one or both of the regular headlights go out or become defective.

In automobile driving, it often happens that one headlight will be extinguished for some time before the driver is aware of the fact which creates aI dangerous hazard because drivers of vapproaching vehicles cannot accurately gauge the amount of clearance to be given to the defectively lighted vehicle.

Moreover, if the headlights go out because a fuse in the automotive lighting system is suddenly blown or because of a short circuit, the driver is left in an exceedingly dangerous situation until the fuse is replaced or the short is remedied.

It is an' object of the present invention to provide a novel electrical lighting system for automobiles in which a pair of auxiliary lights is automatically energized when one or both of the regular headlights fail.

Another object is to provide a novel electrical lighting in which either the auxiliary or the regular headlights may be used selectively, and the unused pair is adapted to light automatically upon failure of one or both of the lights of the used pair.

Another object is to/provide an improved electrical lighting system including separate circuits having the regular headlights and auxiliary headlights, with means for selectively energizing either or both circuits, and automatic means for lighting one set of lights if one or both lights of the other set fails.

A further object is to provide an improved electrical lighting system having separate circuits with separate fuses to regular and auxiliary headlights.

A still further object is to provide an improved electrical lighting system having auxiliary lights for automatically lighting when the regular headlights fail, said system being easily adaptable for use in standard automotive lighting systems without substantial changes.

These and other objects are accomplished by the parts, elements, constructions, arrangements, and combinations which comprise the present invention,`the nature of which is set forth in the following general statement, a preferred embodiment of which is set forth in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and which 4is particularly and distinctly pointed out and set forth in the appended claims forming part hereof.

In general terms, `the automotive electrical system comprising the present invention includes a source of electric current, separate circuits including a pair of headlights and a pair of auX- iliary lights, a double pole selector switch in each circuit having one side connected to the other circuit, and a relay for connecting said current source normally to one side of each selector switch and adapted upon interruption or current variation of a closed light circuit automatically to connect said current source to the other side of each selector switch.

Referring to the drawing forming part hereof, in which the invention is illustrated,

The gure is a wiring diagram of a preferred embodiment of the improved auxiliary headlight system.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawing.

In the drawing a usual automobile storage battery isindicated at IIJ, having one terminal electrically connected to the usual ground II, and the other terminal is connected by a conductor I2 through a fuse I3 to a terminal I4 of a main switch I5. The conductor I2 is also connected in front of the fuse I3 by. a conductor IB to another terminal I1 of the main switch I5.

The main switch I5 is a well-known pull switch of the two-position type, and has a contact member I8 which in the position shown supplies currentfrom the terminal I4 to the conductor I9 in the ordinary parking light circuit, and also to the conductor 20 in the tail light and instrument light circuit. When the contact-member I8 ist pulled upwardly to its other position, current is supplied from the terminal I4 to the conductor -2IJ so that the tail light circuit stays closed but not to the conductor I9, and the terminal I'I is connected `by the contact member I8 to the terminal 2| for supplying current to the headlight circuit. v

A conductor 22 connects the terminal 2l to the y coil `of an electromagnetic relay 23 having an armature 24 movable therein, and a conductor 25 connects the other end of a coil to one side of each of two .double pole selector switches 26 and 21 respectively. A tension spring 28 is connected at one end to the armature 24 of the relay 23 for urging it away from the relay to a position where the'` cross bar of the armature will make connection between a conductor 29 which leads from the terminal 2l of the main switch and a conductor 30 which is connected to the other sides of each of the double pole selector switches 26 and 21. The tension spring 28 is adjustably connected at its other end to a block 3|, so that the tension oi the spring may be adjusted relative to the magnetic pull exerted on the armature by the relay 23.

The terminals 33 and 33a on the side of switch 26 to which conductor 25 is connected preferably make connection when the switch is .closed with a conductor 34 which 'is connected ithroug'h a fuse 35 and a single pole switch -36 to either the high beam filaments 31 or the low beam laments 38 of the regular headlights. The single pole switch 36 is manually operated, preferably by the usual foot button on the door board of the automobile, so as to selectively connect either the high beam or the low beam jfilarnentsfof the vregular headlights in the circuit, the headlights being grounded in the usual fashion.

The terminals 39 and V39a on the side of switch 21 Lto4 v.which the conductor 2 5 is connected prei,- erably make connection when the ',-switch is closed with a conductor 4l) which connected through a fuse 4l landconductors 42 with 5a pair of 7auxiliary headlights r4.3 =in parallel. The headlights 4.3 may :be fog lights if desired or other road lights, `and rare :grounded tothe automobile -body in .a :usual fashion.

The other side of the switch Y26 to which the conductor 3,0 is connected :has `terminals 44 land 44a lwhich :are connected `by aconductor 45 to .the conductor .4'.8 at .a point :between switch 21 rand fuse 41|. Similarly the other .side of switch 21 has terminals 46 and 46a which are connected by a conductor s4] to the ,conductor 34 at a point between switch .-2.6 and .inse v315.

Accordingly, when the switch 2 6 is :closed the terminals .33 and 33a are .connected the conductor 34 of the regular headlight circuit, .and the terminals 44 and 44a are .connected Eby .the conductor 45 with the auxiliary headlight .circuit infront .of f use ,411. Similarly, if the Aswitch 21 is closed the tennina'ls 3B rand .33a are l.connected by conductor All with the .auxiliary headlight circuit, and at .fthe .same time the terminal 46 is .connected :by the conductor 41l1with the regular headlight circuit in .front .of vfuse 35.

In the operation .of the improved .auxiliary headlight system, assuming switch 21 .is .open .and that switch 26 is .closed :to connect terminals 33 and 33a .on the irst .side of the .switch .26, if .the contact element i8 .of :the main switch I5 is moved .upwardly to .close the headlight circuit by connecting 4terminals :|51 and 2li the .current howing .through the .coil of the relay 23 will exert Aan electromagnetic .pul1 on the armature .'24 to .disconnect .conductors 28 and B0, and current will ilow through the -'coil to iconductor 25. In such case, .current will ow from the `conductor -25 through 4the terminals 33 and .33a of the switch, conductor 34, .fuse 135, switch .36 and through the laments 31 v.of the 'regular headlights, thus energizing the same. In this case no current Ailows through terminals 44 and 44a to energize the auxiliary headlights 43 because-conductors 29 and 38 `are disconnected. It both of the regular headlights go Aout .because 4of the filaments burning out .or because oi a short circuit, theelectromagnetic :pull exerted by the relay 23 will cease, and the spring '28 will pull the armature 24 to a position connecting the conductors 29 and 30. In such case, the current will dow from conductor 30 through terminals A411 and 44a on the second side of switch 26 and lconductor 45 into the auxiliary headlight circuit where i-t ows through and again energize the regular headlights.

conductor 40, fuse 4| and conductors 42 to energize the auxiliary headlights 43.

With the system in this condition, as soon as the regular headlights are replaced or the short circuit is repaired, the current flowing through the relay 23 will pul1 the armature 24 Within the coil and break the circuit between conductors 29 and 30 so as to extinguish the auxiliary lights If desired, the tension of spring 28 may ibe adjusted so as to allow the spring to move the armature into contact with conductors 29 and 30 when the amperage of the light circuit is reduced by only one regular `headlight burning or shorting out. In other words, if the current owing through the circuit with both headlights on is approximately .15.amperes, the spring 28 can be adjusted so that if one headlight burns out and reduces the amperage to about 8 amperes, the spring will have suflicient tension to overcome the weakened pull of the relay and make lthe .connection be tween `conductors ..2"9 and .38.

If desired, :a 'warning rlig'ht ..48 qmay be ,connected in parallel with rthe conductor 13.0 to indicate to the driver of the automobile when .the regular headlight circuit is off and the auxiliary vlight circuit is closed. Such 'warning light may lbe conveniently located on the instrument panel.

I-f -it is desired to yuse the auxiliary lights 43 and not the regular headlights, as`ina `case where the auxiliary lights yare rfog lights, :the sam-e may be accomplished by Vopening the switch i'2-6 and closing the switch 21, in which case the current will flow from the relai/'through vconductor L25 vand terminals 39 and 39d on fthe rst side kof .switch 21 to the auxiliary .light circuit. fUnder these circumstances, if the auxiliary light circuit `is .interrupted or varied as lb yfone or 'both of the laux-- iliary lights going out, the 'armature v2,4 will 'automatically make ycontact between conductors '2.9 and 3U and current will flow from conductor 3l) through 4terminals 46 and 46a on `the second side of switch 21 and conductor 41ito=the regular headlig-ht circuit, thus immediately energizingtheregula-r headlights. Likewise, if it is desired '.to utilize both t-he 'regular headlights Aand the auxiliary lights at the same time, iboth .switches 26 and 21 are closed, -and if anything happens to'exti'nguish one or both lights of either pair, the other pair will stay lighted.

Both the headlight circuit and :the .auxiliary light circuit are .protected from .overloads due, :for example, to defective 'wiring and short circuits, by the fuses '35 :and :4-;l respectively .and .if for any reason one fuse is yblown the .other circuit 'will continue to energize its pair of headlights until the damage to the first circuit is remedied and the fuse replaced.

Accordingly, lthe improved .auxiliary headlight system provides for instantaneously and antoma-tically lighting a set of auxiliary headlights when one or both 4of the regular headlights fails, thus providing .for greatly increased safety to the driver of the `automobile .as well as -to drivers 'of approaching vehicles, because they are .not required to guess at the exact location of the automobile on the roadway as is the `c ase when the the automobile 'is driven with one headlight or with no headlights lighted.

The improved system *provides for Yincreased exibility in the use of vone 4or both 'pair 'of headlights always with the safety feature of 'automatically lighting the second set when -one or both of the lights -of the set being used fails. The improved auxiliary headlight `system is simple ing, but no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because such words are used for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to be broadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiment of the improved construction illustrated and described herein is by way of example, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention, the construction, the operation and use, and a preferred embodiment thereof, and the advantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and useful constructions, and reasonable mechanical equivalents thereof obvious to those skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An electrical lighting system for automobiles including a source of electric current and a main switch connected thereto, a headlight circuit and a separate auxiliary light circuit, a rst double pole selector switch having its rst side connected to the headlight circuit and its second side connected to the auxiliary circuit, a second double pole selector switch having its rst side connected to the auxiliary circuit and its second side connected to the headlight circuit, and an electromagnetic relay for connecting said main switch normally to said first side of each of said first and second selector switches, and adapted upon current variation through a closed light circuit automatically to connect said main switch with the second side of each selector switch.

2. An electrical lighting system for automobiles including a source of electric current and a main switch connected thereto, a headlight circuit and a separate auxiliary light circuit, a first double pole selector switch having its rst side connected to the headlight circuit and its second side connected to the auxiliary circuit, a second double pole selector switch having its first side connected to the auxiliary circuit and its second side connected to the headlight circuit, an electromagnetic relay having a coil connecting said main 3. An electrical lighting system for automobiles including a source of electric current and a main switch connected thereto, a headlight circuit and a separate auxiliary light circuit, a first double pole selector switch having its rst side connected to said headlight circuit and its second side connected to said auxiliary circuit, a second double pole selector switch having its rst side connected to said auxiliary circuit and its second side connected to said headlight circuit, a fuse in said headlight circuit beyond the connection thereto of said second selector switch, a fuse in said auxiliary circuit beyond the connection thereto of said first selector switch, and an electromagnetic relay for connecting said main switch normally to said rst side of each of said selector switches and adapted upon current variation through a closed light circuit automatically to connect said main switch with said second side of each selector switch.

4. An electrical lighting system for automobiles including a source of electric current and a main switch connected thereto, a headlight circuit and a separate auxiliary light circuit, a rst double pole selector switch having its rst side connected to said headlight circuit and its second side connected to said auxiliary circuit, a second double pole selector switch having its rst side connected to said auxiliary circuit and its second side connected to said headlight circuit, a fuse in said headlight circuit beyond the connection thereto of said second selector switch, a fuse in said auxiliary circuit beyond the connection thereto of said first selector switch, an electromagnetic relay having a coil connecting said main switch normally to said first side of each selector switch, and a spring for moving the armature of said relay to a position connecting said main switch with the second side of each selector switch when current through the relay coil is substantially reduced.

BRUNO TABACCHI.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS of record in the Number Name Date 1,925,200 Miller Sept. 5, 1933 1,945,528 Gordon Feb. 6, 1934 1,956,980 cook May 1, 1934= 2,021,677 Barrett Nov. 19, 1935 2,172,903 Charpng Sept. 12, 1939 

